# Clock Repair **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 10, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clock-repair/180903 "2003-06-10T16:44:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![El\_Zagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@El\_Zagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Zagna)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clock-repair/180903/1 "2003-06-10T16:44:55Z")
I have an antique French mantle clock that needs to be cleaned. The esimates I’ve received so far have been between $300 and $500. I can’t justify that kind of expense. Just how difficult would it be to do it myself? I’m pretty handy at this sort of thing, but I’ve never done anything quite like this. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clock-repair/180903/2 "2003-06-10T17:06:37Z")
When I posted a similar question earlier, it was pointed out to me that these are very delicate and precise mechanisms, and it would be wise to leave it to a pro. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clock-repair/180903/3 "2003-06-10T17:20:31Z")
The first step would be to open it up just enough to have access to the innards, and spray some compressed air into it. That might be enough, in which case, you’re done, with essentially no risk. If that’s not enough, cleaning a clock basically means taking it apart and putting it back together. If you do this, I recommend that you keep all of the parts in a small box when you’re not actively working on them, so they won’t get lost. I also recommend working in a small, relatively featureless room: Clocks tend to have small parts which go _spoing_ when you take them apart, which then go flying across the room and behind the couch. Other than that, it’s really more time-consuming than difficult. If you’ve got steady fingers and a lot of patience, go for it. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clock-repair/180903/4 "2003-06-10T22:26:28Z")
No, no, no… Please don’t blast the innards of an antique clock with canned air. Not only are clocks full of little parts that can go _spoing_ they’ve also got little parts that will go _boing_ and _bend_ Don’t do anything to it beyond winding and setting time. Leave it to a clocksmith to determine what’s wrong with the clock and to repair what needs fixing. Putting oil on the wrong parts, or too much oil, or the wrong kind of oil is bad news. Putting the wrong part into the wrong hole is also bad news. And clocks are full of very similar-looking gears and wheels. $300-500 is about right for a proper disassembly, cleaning, inspection, repair and reassembly. I’ve got a grandfather clock that needs some work, and it will be cheaper for me to have a complete new works installed at $350 than it would be to have someone take it apart and clean/repair. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clock-repair/180903/5 "2003-06-10T22:37:21Z")
Canned air isn’t _that_ powerful. And clocks aren’_that_ delicate. I’ve taken many apart in my day. I wouldn’t recommend it if you don’t have patience or a steady hand and a good memory for parts placement. But, it’s not an impossible task, like **Chronos** said.